


Luke Skywalker and the Trouble with Holofilms

by atamascolily



Series: Popular Media in a Galaxy Far, Far Away [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: New Republic Era - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Irony, Meta, Tumblr Prompt, popular media in a galaxy far far away, references to Shadows of Mindor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-17 04:43:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13651674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atamascolily/pseuds/atamascolily
Summary: Luke Skywalker is upset about the many inaccuracies in a film version of one of his post-Endor adventures. Of course, he decides to take matters into his own hands.





	Luke Skywalker and the Trouble with Holofilms

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a prompt by frangipani: "The crew of _Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor_ was honored when the hero in question actually showed up at filming as a consultant. Now they desperately want him to leave."
> 
> Obviously, this fic makes more sense if you're familiar with _Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor_ by Matthew Stover, but I've tried to fill in enough of the details so you know what's going on, even if you haven't read the book.

"Leia, have you considered re-instating the Imperial censorship laws? Ever?" 

Leia turned to see her brother striding through the doorway to her apartment. He was clearly joking, but there was something in his voice and body language that implied the matter was far more serious than he was letting on. "Oh, maybe once or twice. Why - did you run across a particularly bad holo today?" 

Luke rolled his eyes. " _Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor_ is filming this week. They've booked up a whole section of the former Imperial palace here on Coruscant for location shots." 

It was fortunate that Leia was skilled at keeping her face diplomatically neutral or else she would have been sorely tempted to laugh. "Is this the version that you commissioned from that ex-intelligence officer--Geptun, right?" 

"'Commissioned'. Ha. That's one way to put it. I told him exactly what I wanted him to write and instead he came up with the most dramatic, over-the-top _spectacle_ you can imagine, with the intention of selling it as a screenplay for the holos--"

"--Uh-huh--" 

"--and it isn't even _true_ \--" 

Privately, Leia sympathized. As a member of the royal family of Alderaan and an Imperial Senator since reaching her legal majority at sixteen, she'd grown up with constant media attention, on planetary, regional and galactic levels. She'd seen more than her fair share of terrible films, from worshipful hagiography to exaggerated propaganda to outright pornography - sometimes all in the same piece. Isolated on a backwater world in the Outer Rim Territories for most of his life, Luke had escaped the notice of the galaxy at large until he was abruptly thrust into the spotlight in the aftermath of the Battle of Endor. He was still adjusting to his new role as a major player in galactic politics. But to be upset by _this_ particular holo above all of the others--

"Well, it's not exactly slander. Or libel. Or _defamation_ , if you go by strictly legal terms. They made you the _hero_ , after all--" 

Luke made a helpless gesture. "Leia, that's precisely the point, I _wasn't_ a hero at Mindor, not by a long shot--" 

"You saved so many people, myself included--" Leia interjected. 

"--and killed others in the process of saving my own skin--" 

They'd had this conversation, and many more like it, in the aftermath of the Mindor incident. As much as Leia wished she had the time to spare for a lengthy heart-to-heart, this was not the time or place to rehash the issue. "Maybe you should tell the holo-filmers this, Luke," she said, trying and failing to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. "I'm sure they'd appreciate hearing the _real_ story of what happened on Mindor straight from the source." 

For a second she thought Luke might shrug off her suggestion as the ludicrous idea it was. To her surprise, he stared at her intently with those piercing blue eyes - so different from her own, despite their shared parentage - for a second before slowly nodding. 

"You know what?" he said. "I will." 

***

It was a bit of a gamble, renting out the entrance hall in the former Imperial palace for the shoot - the security deposit wasn't cheap, and it was straining the already overextended budget to its breaking point - but Georgri Kalek hummed contentedly as a horde of actors in faux Imperial uniforms assembled in stiff, military rows underneath the vast sweeping ceiling. He knew, even if no one else did, that _Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor_ was going to be a hit, and he was willing to put some money down now to make this holo the best it could possibly be. 

And where else could he possibly film Skywalker's confrontation with Lord Shadowspawn, the would-be heir to Emperor Palpatine, and his brainwashed army than in such a glorious, palatial space? 

Beside Kalek, his leading man, Reef D'Nar, tugged on his floppy blond wig. Reef wasn't the most talented actor in creation, and somewhat lacking in the brains department, but he was a reasonable facsimile for Skywalker with a few added props, and followed most of Kalek's instructions without complaint. "Director, what am I supposed to be doing here again?" 

Kalek sighed. The only problem with Reef was that he often had to repeat his instructions several times before they stuck. "Wait until everyone's lined up and settled. Then, you'll come running in with your saber drawn--" He pointed to the fake wooden sword at Reef's side. They didn't have access to real lightsabers - not that he'd trust Reef with something like that - but that was okay, the special effects people would add it in later. "--and you'll run towards the dais where Lord Shadowspawn is waiting for you--"

He was interrupted by his Twi'lek assistant tugging at his sleeve. "Director, there's someone here to see you. Says that it's urgent." 

"Tell them I'm busy," Kalek said, not bothering to look at her. Couldn't she see they were getting ready for the shoot? 

But she refused to take the hint. "Director, Commander Skywalker--er, _Master_ Skywalker--er, _Jedi Knight_ Luke Skywalker is here to see you--" 

" _What?_ " Nothing could contain Kalek's astonishment. What would Luke Skywalker, darling of the New Republic, dashing Jedi Knight, ace pilot, and galactic hero, want to talk to him about? 

"He--er, says he wants to be a consultant on the film-- see how things are going -- offer a first-hand account of his experiences--" 

Oh. This was going to be _great_. 

"Take him to my trailer--no. Wait. Bring him here. I'll meet him here on the set," he said, as his assistant scurried to comply.

Reef stared at him. "Skywalker is coming here? The _real_ Skywalker?" 

Kalek nodded. 

"Do you want _him_ to do this scene then?" 

Kalek patted Reef on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I don't think he wants your job." He turned to the film crew hovering around him, vibrating with excitement even as they waited for his next instructions. "Make sure you get all of this recorded. Depending on how it goes, we'll either cut it into the final version, or add it onto the end as a bonus feature."

The crew nodded, as excited by this sudden turn of events as Kalek was. Reef was bewildered, but Reef was easily confused by all sorts of things, so that was normal enough. 

"All right, everybody," Kalek shouted so that all the costumed extras could hear, "make sure you're in position, because the cameras are going to be rolling shortly--" 

***

Even without the Force, Luke couldn't miss the fear and awe that warred on the faces of the cast and crew as Director Kalek's assistant led him around the set. He was dressed simply in a well-cut black tunic and trousers, with no ornamentation, ostentation, or weapons aside from the lightsaber conspicuously dangling from his belt, but everyone knew exactly who he was from the moment he'd stepped on to the palace grounds, asking to see the director. 

The furtive glances and muttered whispers swept through the cast and crew like a wave as he passed through the crowd. Once a particularly bold soul, a bright green Rodian with the largest hooped earrings that Luke had ever seen on any sentient being, thrust out a glossy photo from a official New Republic press release, in a silent plea for an autograph. 

Startled, Luke shook his head and hurried on. He was trying to _avoid_ forming a cult of personality, not start one, but the stricken look on her face -- not to mention her co-workers - was so pitiful that he almost made an exception to his no-autograph policy. 

Almost. 

So it was a relief to finally emerge into a vast palatial hall where Geogri Kalek - humanoid, but of uncertain planetary origin - was hard at work coordinating a vast sea of extras all dressed in reasonable facsimiles of Lord Shadowspawn's indoctrinated shock troops. At the director's side stood a vacant-eyed young human with what appeared to be a blond mop on his head; Luke had a sinking feeling that was supposed to be him. 

"Director Kalek," Luke said by way of greeting as he approached. 

"Master Skywalker," said Kalek, rising to his feet, spreading his hands wide in greeting as the two men shook hands. "A pleasure! What brings you to our humble film shoot today?" 

"Just Luke, please," said Luke. "I'm not one to stand on ceremony." 

Kalek laughed. "True to your humble origins! Noble and kind!" 

"Well, you see, I heard you were filming, and I wanted to come in and advise you as a kind of--consultant. Unpaid, of course. I'm not in this for the money." 

"No, of course not," Kalek said genially, trying to conceal his relief. His budget was already stretched thin enough as it was without the added the cost of hiring Skywalker. He waved a hand at the assembled army around them. "So what do you think of all of this? Isn't this splendid?" 

"I suppose," Luke said, more out of politeness than anything else. "But there are some problems with your script that we need to discuss." 

Kalek looked at him askance. "What do you mean, problems? Nothing's wrong with the script -- it's great! Geptun told me he'd interviewed you personally after all the dust had settled, and it really shows." He leaned over with a conspirator's flair, as if to whisper in the Jedi's ear. "To be honest, I think it's one of his better works. It has everything we want in a blockbuster holo: drama--excitement--action--adventure--suspense--the ultimate triumph of good over the forces of evil--" 

"Well," said Luke helplessly, realizing he was losing control of the conversation. "It's wrong. All of it." 

Kalek still wasn't getting it. "What do you mean, _wrong?_ " 

"Well, it didn't happen like that. I mean, I wasn't a hero. I killed so many innocent people--" 

"But only in self-defense!" Kalek protested. "And there was no way you could have known--" 

"I mean, Geptun didn't get it right, you're not working from all the facts here--" 

Kalek drew himself up in a huff. "Master Skywalker, I think you have the wrong idea here. Facts are for bureaucrats and news reporters. _We_ trade in fiction. So what if a few details are wrong here and there? The audience won't care! The audience will eat it up! They _love_ you as the hero, they love cheering for you--" 

"But I don't _want_ them to cheer for me!" 

"Ah. Well." This was going to be awkward. Aware that the cameras were still rolling, he attempted to remain diplomatic in the face of Skywalker's impossible stubborness. They could edit out any unpleasant bits, of course, but it was better to keep this as civil as possible, given the sheer number of witnesses. "I'm afraid I can't help you, Master Skywalker. When I am done with this film, they _will_ cheer for you, whether you like it or not." 

Luke stared at him, dumbfounded. It had never even occurred to him that Kalek might not be interested in Luke's position. For a moment, he was tempted to reach out with the Force for a little _persuasion_ \--

He let the urge go with a sigh. He didn't like using his powers to manipulate others unless it was a matter of life and death, and no matter how hard he might try to justify it to himself, this was not one of those times. 

"Fine," he said shortly. "Do as you please. But I want to watch the filming." 

"Of course," Kalek said with a conciliatory smile. "I understand your concerns, but I think you'll change your mind once you see it in action. Raji!" he yelled to his assistant. "Bring Master Skywalker his own chair." 

"No, thank you," said Luke, unable to keep the coldness out of his voice. "I'd rather stand." 

***

"Is he still here?" 

"Damn, this is creepy."

"Director, is there anything you can do to get him to _leave_?" 

The excited whispers of the crew at the sight of their hero had long since faded. Over the course of the next several weeks, Luke Skywalker seemed to be everywhere on the set. He didn't say much. His questions, while polite, were short and to the point. His expressions were inscrutably neutral, but his gaze seemed to penetrate down into your very soul, and there were rumors that the production was cursed. 

There was nothing that could be traced to Skywalker's presence, of course. There were no mysterious accidents, no night-walking ghosts, nothing out of the ordinary. But the entire staff of _Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor_ was thoroughly spooked by the Jedi's presence, and the stress was beginning to wear on all of them. Reef, already skittish in the best of times, had taken to locking himself in his room prior to film shoots, and had to be physically dragged onto the set. Even then, he couldn't seem to shake his fear of Skywalker, constantly shooting glances in the hero's direction and forcing Kalek to waste several takes of each shot with his constant breakdowns. 

Kalek was a brave man, perhaps foolishly so - holo-filming was a hard business, and he'd discovered that fortune favored the bold early on in his career. There were times when it was better to retreat, and times when it was better to burrow on in doggedly and keep going. He wasn't sure what the best strategy would be here. 

He was damned if he was going to give in and alter the script to make it more reflective of Skywalker's personal truth. Couldn't the Jedi see that this wasn't just about him? That the galaxy at large _needed_ to see him as a hero without lingering overlong on his failures and shortcomings? 

But how could he get Skywalker off his back so he could finish filming in peace? Was there a way to do it _without_ making an enemy of the man? He didn't want someone with Skywalker's power and influence upset with him. Even if Skywalker was as honest and upright as he claimed, it still wouldn't be good from a marketing perspective. 

_If he has problems with the script, then perhaps I can get him engaged with another writer--_

Kalek grinned at the idea bubbling up in his brain. This would work. This _had_ to work or else his career was well and truly sunk. 

***

Leia was so busy with government functions and council meetings that she didn't realize she hadn't seen Luke for several weeks until the day he burst into her apartment, shouting and waving excitedly. "Leia! Your idea! It worked! I found a writer who was sympathetic to my point of view--thought it would make a good story for a docu-drama--" 

"Wait, _what_?"

"--and he's going to film it and direct it himself!" Luke finished with a satisfied grin, folding his arms over his chest. "It's going to be called _The TRUE STORY of Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor_. Even if people see Geptun's version, they're at least going to know the truth for what it is!" 

"Um..." Leia hated to contradict Luke when he was clearly so excited, even though she didn't think it would go as smoothly as he envisioned. "That's great, Luke. Really great." 

"I know, right?" He paced back and forth in front of the windows, unable to contain himself. "People are going to write whatever they want to write about me--and I can't stop them from doing that--but at least I can put my own story out there and let people decide the truth for themselves." 

"Don't you think it will detract from your dream of restoring the Jedi Order if people think you're a war criminal?" 

He stopped short, all his senses electric and poised for battle--and abruptly deflated. "No--er-- I mean--" 

Now it was Leia's turn to cross her arms over her chest. "Luke, I know you feel terrible about what happened on Mindor, but you're going to have to let it go. The New Republic is fragile enough as it is right now, and people are already concerned about the possibility of Jedi overreach--" 

Luke sighed. "I didn't even think about that." His shoulders slumped. "Damn it, Leia, why do you have to be so _right_ about everything?" 

"It's called politics, Luke." She patted his arm. "Cheer up. Perhaps the holo will encourage people to train under you. Call it free advertising." 

"Well--if you say so--" He had to admit, she had a point. 

"Trust me, Luke, I've been playing these kinds of political games my whole life. It's boring and tedious and tiresome, but we play it anyway because war is a terrible thing and the galaxy doesn't need any more conflict right now." Now she could try to tease him: "Isn't it the Jedi way to give up unneeded attachments? Especially around self-martyrdom?" 

He rolled his eyes. "I could say the same of you." But there was no edge to his jab, no heat. He was taking in what she said and considering it - a good sign. 

"I guess Ben would call Geptun's script true enough - from a certain point of view," he finally decided. "But I don't have to like it." 

She reached out and hugged him. "I know, Luke, I know. But have you considered the bright side?" 

"What?" 

Leia aimed her most dazzling smile at him. "At least they didn't give you a love interest in this one!"


End file.
